Qawwali and the income from it

Question

Question: Zayd is a pious and religious man; he is regular in the five daily prayers and observes the matters of the Shari‘a, but his means of livelihood is the profession of qawwali (Sufi devotional singing with music): he takes part in qawwali gatherings and supports his family from its income. The question is whether this profession of qawwali is permissible or not. And can these monies be used to help the poor and to perform the Hajj to the House of Allah?

Answer

The prevalent qawwali is impermissible; making it a means of livelihood and acquiring money from it is also impermissible. Such money is not proper; he should give it in charity (sadaqa) to the poor and repent from this profession for the future.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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